Wash and Wax
by FullstopBlaster
Summary: Ironhide's made a new friend of a female soldier at Diego Garcia. She's in trouble and working off some debt. Four abandoned decepticon sparklings are found and in the midst of everyday operations Optimus and Lennox must decide what to do about Ironhide.


The gunships flew over head and they could all see them. Optimus turned his hand over his head and then moved forward quietly into the black. Ironhide slid up beside him. "How many human gunships?" he asked looking around. Taking stock of the area motioning Bumblebee around the far side.

"Four." Optimus nodded "Get the twins around the back flank of this one."

"You think this will be that easy sir?" Ironhide trailed around pulling his left arm cannon up and reloaded it. Motioning Skids and mudflap around with Bumblebee.

"I am hoping yes." He said and stepped through the underbrush. "A simple pick up…drop and grab." He spoke too soon. Optimus lowered his weapon and motioned Ironhide to do the same. The Neutral Cybertronian lay half alive on the green clearing. A femme of all things, she was dark and red and lay on her left side her body trembled and shook. "Ratchet your assistance please." Optimus called out to his fellow autobot.

The green medic made his way through the trees and looked down. He checked a few of her systems and rolled her to her back and looked into her optics. Turning to Optimus he shook his head. "even if I could save her there's not much here to save." He said quietly and touched the femme's helm "her processor is gone." He replied solemnly. Doctors no matter what the species never like saying someone cannot be saved.

Optimus nodded to Ratchet slowly "Take her offline." He said softly making the decision for the medic that much easier. "She didn't survive the landfall." He sighs putting a hand to the bridge between his eyes. "that's another…"

"Too many are not making landfall Optimus." Ironhide said Turning Primes Attention to him. "Something is amiss." He grunted and shook his head as the femme's body went limp. Ironhide looked to Ratchet who motioned him over. He knelt down on one knee and lifted the femme up in his arms. "Pretty thing too." He said softly "Shame."

"Indeed it is Ironhide...a terrible tragic shame." Optimus flare for the dramatic speech. He turned and looked around "Autobots back to Diego Garcia!" he ordered. "take her to to the airship Ironhide, Epps will have her transported back to be laid." Optimus looked at Ratchet. "set up a time to take what you need from her…just in case."

"Yes sir." Ratchet said standing "Ironhide this way. The group assembled and made their way out of the clearing and back to the airships and the highway.

The soldiers waited along the hanger as the Autobots rolled off the airships slowly. Ironhide rolled down onto the tarmac and just sat for a short while. A female military officer approached him. Red hair pulled back in a pony tail she smiled at him with bright green eyes. "Mr. Ironhide?" she asked of the truck. He didn't respond to her. "My name is Amelia…I'll be taking care of you tonight…If you please…to the first hanger." She said quietly and waited for him to roll. The Driver door opened slowly.

"Get in I will not force you to walk." Ironhide said to her. She blinked a moment. "well?" he asked when she seemed to be taking too long to make up her mind. She nodded and jumped into the truck and pulled the seat belt down over her and clicked it in place. She rode with him to the first hanger where he obediently rolled himself inside. The door opened.

"Thank you." She said to him unlatched her seat belt and jumped down to the ground. Ironhide transformed before her and looked down at her. "I know you're not use to me, but Lennox is on special assignment in Pakistan until late tonight." She nodded and started to flip over her clip board. "I guess these are simple enough instructions." She nodded.

"What instructions?" Ironhide knelt down and looked at the clip board. Then his head turned to a crate next to her.

"I'm going to pamper you a bit." She smiled and set the clip board down. "you need to be in your truck form please." She said softly pointing to him. "I'm going to wash and wax you."

"Wax?" Ironhide grunted "I don't think…"

"Trust me…Truck…" she ordered and smiled at him "Please." Ironhide grunted at her but didn't argue he could see Optimus rolling into the hanger near him for what looked to be the same drill. He lowered his hands to the ground and transformed before her. "I pulled some favors…this will be warm water…I hope you enjoy it." She smiled.

"Do your worst." Ironhide said as a hologram walked around the tailgate to her. He was tall and had dark hair. He stood in cargo khakis and a black tank top.

"Will said you had a hologram." She said quietly.

"Indeed." He nodded and walked over to her. "warm water huh?"

"Yes…it should feel good…or at least I hope you will like it." She said and lifted the hose and started to spray down the truck, the hologram didn't much flinch as she circled the top kick spraying around getting every inch she could of him. Finally she dropped the hose and grabbed a few large sponges covered in soap and started to circle him wiping down all his parts, crossing across the front of him removing bugs and dirt. She ran her sponge over the GMC on his grill and he rolled back a bit. "did I do something wrong?" she looked to the hologram.

"Tickled." He admitted and shrugged. "watch my mirrors too."

"Noted." She smiled and continued. She hosed him off and started to dry him, and then grabbed his rag and started to put wax on it.

"What is that?"

"Wax…" she said softly "It will make you shine…" she said softly "Just wait till I remove it." She smiled.

"Why?" the hologram asked standing beside her to watch.

"Because…" she looked at the buffer on the floor. "You'll love the way that feels."

"Is it a weapon?" He asked slowly kneeling down by it. His hologram touching the rotator.

"Think of it as a robot massage." She pointed to the left there were two men using them on Optimus pulling the white wax off his shell slowly.

"Proceed." Ironhide nodded slowly to allow her to continue her work. The hologram watched as she covered him in white wax, every inch of chrome, he was surprised by her thoroughness. She smiled and grabbed the buffer. "I am prepared."

"I'll go slow." She said to the hologram. "If you want me to stop all you have to do is say so and I'll remove all this by hand, but this is MUCH faster." She said softly. Ironhide's hologram only nodded. She turned the buffer on and started to run it over his front bumper. She stopped hearing a noise. Ironhide had purred softly.

"Apologies…keep going…that feels…nice." Ironhide's hologram vanished he began purring again his motor roaring slightly as she ran over his GMC logo again. He sat there just flourishing in the feel of the buffer over his joints and panels. He was trying to be quiet but it was soothing. Amelia Giggled and shook her head running the buffer over him slowly.

"Ok big guy lower the tailgate." Ironhide complied and she crawled up and pulled the buffer with her to work on his stacks. "Like that do ya?" She asked, she could feel the truck bed vibrate.

"Yes, it is …satisfactory." He admitted.

"Oh well I'll have to work harder next time." She smiled and ran a hand over the top of his cab softly.

"What is your rank soldier?" Ironhide asked her the hologram appearing on the ground leaning over the bed of the truck. She almost jumped.

"I'm a lieutenant." She said softly catching her breath.

"That would be a high rank in our outfit…but you humans have different classes for soldiers than we." He said. "Why are you stuck doing this for me?" he asked quietly smirking up to her.

"Honestly?" she turned and lowered the buffer. Ironhide nodded and looked at her quietly. "Punishment." She said softly. "Thought I would learn some weapons respect from you I guess."

"You destroyed a weapon?" He inquired turning the holograms head to the ground. He shook it's head.

"No…" she sat down in his bed leaning her back up against the cab. "I went a bit overboard on a mission and I didn't listen to orders, I accomplished my mission but if you don't do it their way by the books, it 's wrong." She shrugged softly.

"I see…insubordination…" Ironhide hummed softly thinking on what she had just divulged. "Get up keep buffing." He ordered quietly.

"Of course sir." She said with a smile and stood, at least she enjoyed the punishment. She spent a total of four hours on Ironhide, she worked on him alone. Most of the rest of the work was quiet, no hologram and Ironhide kept his talking and noises to a minimum. She walked around to each tire and sprayed them wiping them down and she smiled. "Almost done Ironhide." She stepped forward to her crate and grabbed a new bottle and grabbed a fresh rag and started to spray the cloth.

"and what is that?"

"It's sort of like wax for your glass…water will stream off …you will thank me later." She said quietly "Lennox said he wanted you spotless and more clean than Optimus…I don't plan to disappoint him." She said "This should be the last thing and it should be quick, I checked your interior and it's fine I'm not going to clean in there."

"I understand." He said quietly "It's getting late." She yawned and nodded. "you need rest."

"I don't really sleep." She said wiping down the glass softly with her rag, moving to the mirrors too; carefully knowing he was skittish about them.

"Are you malfunctioning?" Ironhide asked "Insomnia?"

"Malfunction?" she blinked and smiled "Oh no…I just don't sleep for some reason." She shrugged and kept wiping at the glass "I have trouble falling asleep, haven't been really able to do so since I started this mess."

"Mess?"

"The military." Ironhide sighed internally she just wasn't taking to it. He'd seen it in new recruits to the Autobots back when the war started.

"I had trouble getting recharge when I first joined the autobots." He said quietly. "Had to have Ratchet put me into stasis more than once because I just couldn't shut down…thinking too much on the war." Optimus had completed his wash and wax and was being escorted out and back to the main hanger.

"That's how I would put it…" She said moving around to his opposite side. "Sometimes I just can't shut down…Concerned with what the next day holds." She lowered her hands "There you go Sir…all clean." She said stepping back giving him a once over with her eyes stepping forward to remove a smudge on his paint before stepping back. Ironhide transformed stepping back away from her and turned looking to a large mirror on the wall. He turned around and looked at his own back and both his cannons.

"Very nice." He nodded "Thank you."

"You needn't thank me sir…it's my duty."

"I am pleased with your work, and I am very grateful for you to have done it." He nodded "thank you."

"As you like sir." She smiled softly and reached up touching his hand "enjoy it and try to stay clean…if you need me you can ask Lennox where I can be found." She turned and started to pack up her things. Ironhide curled up the hose and set it behind himself and walked over lifting up her crate as she finished filling it and looked down at her.

"Do you need to go back to the barracks?" Ironhide asked softly as he turned setting the crate away. "I can drive you back."

"No sir I'm on an 18 hour shift I have to clean all this mess in here up." She said motioning around the hanger.

"Would you like company?" Ironhide asked.

"I could never ask you…" she sighed and saw the intent in his Optics, he was going to stay. She caved internally and shakes her head at him pointing up to his face. "…but you can't help me." She smiled.

"Wasn't dreaming of it Amelia…I'll just supervise."Ironhide plopped himself down on the center of the hanger Floor.

"I don't know if Will is gonna like that idea sir." Amelia sighed and shook her head at the robot.

"Well he's not here right now…and I am." Ironhide motioned her on. "Let's get started." He coaxed her to her work. He smiled watching her.

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Ironhide's head rolled over as his optics came online, he'd recharged in the hanger. He looked down leaned up against his left hip joint was Amelia. She was exhausted and sleeping. He smirked softly and just sat back looking out at the dawn. His internal chronometer read 5:30AM pacific. His optics covered the hanger, it was spotless, everything was put away and there would be no way Lennox could ignore the work she did on both him and the hanger.

Ironhide reached his right arm around and ran a finger over her red hair softly, it didn't wake her. She uttered something but it was unintelligible. Ironhide looked over to the door of the hanger as the door started to move back slowly. Lennox looked around the door. "Ironhide what are you still doing in here?"

Ironhide put a hand to his processor "Shh…she is in recharge." He said.

"Who? Amy?" he blinked and walked around Ironhide and rolled his head back "Unbelievable." He uttered chewing his lip.

"She worked hard…did more than you asked, spent almost four hours on me." Ironhide protested his anger with her. "She doesn't sleep at all…it's hard for her, she fell asleep… I let her. You wish to be displeased you can be displeased with me."

"I'll get the yellow car boot." Lennox smirked and looked around "This place is spotless." He said quietly. "you just gonna sit like that all day while she sleeps Ironhide?"

"If I must." He said looking down "She needs it…it's the least I can do for what she did for me."

"I wash you." He said offhandedly "you act like she did something new."

"She waxed me with a buffer." Ironhide said firmly with a smile on his processor, dreamy like.

"Oh yea?" Lennox smiled "how'd you like that big guy?" He asked crossing his arms across his chest.

"It was agreeable…very agreeable."

"I see." Lennox nodded and lifted his hands. "Okay…okay." he turned.

"Where are you headed William?"

"I am headed to the far hanger to observe Ratchet take that Bot to pieces." Ironhide made a face at his statement. "I know you can't 'stomach' it" he made little quotes with his hands.

"I will remain here." Ironhide waved a hand "Enjoy your show."

"Enjoy yours." Lennox motioned to Amelia.

"What's that suppose to mean?" Ironhide pointed after him. Lennox could only shrug as he backed his way out of the hanger. Leaving the Autobot to wonder of his intent. Amelia groaned and rolled her shoulders a bit. Ironhide turned his head down. "Rest little one." He said quietly another finger pushing her hair out of her eyes

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The next few weeks were worse; Optimus laughed at Ironhide's efforts to whip the human force into shape. Ironhide walked the side lines of the running field. "You all can do better than that!" he yelled out "The females should not beat you down the field and back." He said and looked down at Lennox "Would you like to show them how it's done William?" he asked.

"yeah sure hide." Lennox reached around himself and took off his gunbelt and set it across Optimus' foot. He took his jacket off and walked over in just his cargo pants and a tank top. "this is timed big guy?"

"yes the majority of this team should be able to run the length and back in thirty of your earth seconds." He nodded "the women are doing exceptional." He said "your men…need work."

"You are an effective drill sergeant Ironhide." Optimus smiled at him and reached down lifting Lennox's belt to his hands.

"I know." Ironhide said proudly. "Amelia you can run faster than your last run..beat lennox." He ordered. "Thompson..if you can beat lennox and Amelia I'll let you stop for the day." The humans looked amongst themselves and Amelia turned to Lennox.

"I hope I beat you sir." Amelia said still winded.

"I hope you do to solider." He said and nodded to Ironhide "When you are ready Ironhide."/

"Soliders to your mark!" the humans walked to the line and looked down the field.

"Will she beat him?" Optimus asked.

"Oh yeah..Lennox is out of shape as you command soldiers always are." Ironhide smirked at his leader and raised a hand "GO!" he said and the scatter of humans tore down the field Amelia keeping pace with William the entire time. "she'll break from him on the way back.." he said to his leader pointing to her. She did as he predicted, she turned and started back catching a second wind and made her way ahead of her commander.

Optimus smiled and nodded "I see." He blinked "The females are more suited for physical stamina."

"However the males can take more punishment." Ironhide said as the humans crossed the line Amelia lennox and Thomas coming in behind. The rest of the team slowly started to cover the line and return kneeling over catching their breaths. Amelia stood there just looking around. "She's a machine…I like that." He smirked.

"I bet you do Ironhide." Optimus said and looked at Lennox.

"What was that William?!" Ironhide called out "Let a female who's done this about 20 times before you beat you?" he laughed "You need to come to my training sessions." He laughed.

"Ironhide don't make me put sugar in your gas tank." Lennox shook his head.

"I'd like to see you try." Ironhide said quietly and looked at the humans "That's enough for one day…you may all …hit the showers." He said "as it were."

"Should I get the Autobots ready for their training?" Optimus asked.

"No I've postponed it to tomorrow."

"Something wrong Ironhide?" Optimus asked turning a head as he handed lennox back his gunbelt.

"I have an ingagement I can't break." He said quietly and turned walking away. "Tomorrow Optimus and you will be pleased with what I have planned."

Optimus looked down at Lennox "a prior engagement?"

Lennox turned and gave Amelia a look "I may have an idea as to what he's talking about."

Optimus lowered a hand "I'm curious as to your explanation."

"Fraternizing with my soldiers." Lennox said stepping up onto Optimus' hand.

"What?" optimus looked at ironhide "a human?"

"Uh huh." He said turning his head "Amelia."

Optimus turned and looked down at her drying off and grabbing her duffle bag. She ran a towel over her hair. "I will speak with him."

Lennox sighed "I mean we work as an alliance, they aren't on the same force there's no rule on our side against it …I just don' t want her to get hurt."

"I don't want to see Ironhide hurt either." Optimus said "Thank you for bringing it to my attention William."

"Hey no problem big guy!" Lennox said quietly as optimus set him down to the earth.

Opitmus turned and left lennox to his men. He turned and started to follow in the direction of Ironhide catching up to him easy. "Ironhide."

"yes sir?" Ironhide turned.

"Would this prior engagement have something to do with the Human female?"

"Does that make any difference sir?" Ironhide asked turning his head stopping his feet. "There are no rules against spending time with the humans."

"No there are not." Optimus said and put a hand on Ironhide's shoulder "but you are fonder of her than you let on." Optimus said eyes bright and wise. Ironhide turned his head away if only to think of a response to his leader's inquiry. Ironhide sighed. "there are females among our kind here Ironhide."

"yes Optimus and they share a collective mind, I do not wish to be attached to three femme bots let alone one of them .." he said turning "they are not my type." He said quietly.

"And this human is?" Optimus asked softly.

"You would deny me?" Ironhide turned to him making his stance more defensive. Optimus thought on it for a moment and looked back to the training field, the humans were gone. He turned back to Ironhide.

"No I will not." He said and looked at Ironhide closely. "Just be careful with your spark…and her heart….they are more similar than you might think." Optimus turned and walked away. Ironhide stood for a moment thinking of what Optimus had said and shook his head as he continued to walk onto the autobot hanger. Pushing the hanger door back slowly he walked in amidst the gazes of humans and the robots within he transformed and rolled to the back corner to get a bit of recharge before his engagement later that night.

Bumblebee shook his head looking at Ratchet "what's wrong with him?"

"I'm not certain, I'll speak with Optimus." Ratchet smiled to Bumblebee who jumped off the berth he'd been sitting on for a diagnostic scan. "next." Ratchet turned to see Skids and mudflap both sitting on the berth across. "Do you two ever go anywhere without each other?"

The twins exchanged glances "Um …No." they said in unison.

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Ironhide came out of recharge and silenced his internal chronometer which beeped with the time. He rolled out of his corner between the girls and twins and made his way back out of the hanger. Bumblebee walked over to Arcee. "he's in a rush."

"To be certain." Arcee nodded.

Ironhide rolled out to the main gate of the base. "ironhide sir."

"I'm going for a drive." Ironhide told the guard.

"As you wish sir." The man turned "Open the gate for Ironhide." The chain gate slid open and moved slowly. Ironhide rolled out the gate and down the gravel drive away from Diego Garcia. He rolled down to the military barracks that were slightly away from the base. He waited before the barracks and honked his horn. He waited and sighed quietly. Part of him questioned what he was doing out here.

She walked out of the second door at the end of the small apartment building. Her hair down long around her shoulders, for a human Ironhide was struck by her features. Her Blasting green eyes gazed at him. She was in jeans and a basic black t-shirt. She looked at the truck slowly and smiled "Hello there." She said ignoring all the faces cluttering the windows of the apartments seeing the Autobot with the human.

The driver door opened up and the hologram exited and walked her around to the opposite side and opened the passanger door allowing her to enter. Ironhide's hologram didn't look at the humans watching them. He just circled back around his front end and entered the driver side of himself and shut the door. His head turned to her now. "Where to?"

"Away." She said leaning back closing her eyes.

"Rest." Ironhide said and started to pull backwards driving her away from the base. She was curled up in his passenger seat eyes closed. Ironhide reached his hand over around her and grabbed the seat belt pulling it around her clicking it in place. His hand reached up to her hair brushing it aside.

Amelia's eyes fluttered open. "Ironhide?" she asked quietly.

"Apologies…If you wish to sleep do…" He replied dryly. His hologram turning back to focus on the road.

"Ironhide." She reached for his hologram's hand and just sat there looking at him. He Just took her hand and squeezed it tightly. "This is wrong." She said softly.

"It is not." He said "We do not have to be alone anymore." He said and bit back the words. "I just don't see what the trouble is."

"you're an 18 foot tall robot…I'm a 6 foot tall human." She said softly shifting in his seat.

"My hologram is not sufficient enough for you?" he asked and he slowed to a stop. He turned to her "My hand is as tangible as any human's hand." He reached up to her face.

"But will you be happy?" She asked reaching up taking his hand down away from her face.

"I am very old." Ironhide said quietly "I have lived MANY MANY lifetimes." He sighed "I will outlive you." He said touching her face "but that does not mean that you are not a bright spark in my existence."

"You're sweet."

"I am not." He protested. "I am just honest."

"Lennox told me we can't."

"Optimus told me we could." Ironhide shook his head. "I hate feeling like a sparkling." He uttered.

"Sparkling?"

"A child." He clarified. "sneaking around like there's nothing wrong." He turned his hologram to her. He pulled her forward "Nothing is wrong …and this is fine." He said to her firmly and kissed her. He'd seen it in his movies. He didn't like waiting.

Amelia pulled away slowly separating her lips from the holograms. "Ironhide." She uttered quietly "I don't think."

"Don't think." Ironhide said.

"You get me every time." She smiled shyly and put a hand through the hologram's hair. "I can't say no to you." She said softly. Ironhide chuckled and pulled her closer.

"Well that's the point." He said softly.

"And I hate you by the way…I hate running."

"Sprints are good for you." He said softly. "I can hear your heartbeat better when you run." He smiled "smell you better"

"Smell?" She blinked "You have olfactory sensors?"

"you do." The hologram bopped her nose.

"There's much I don't know about you Ironhide."

"yeah, you'll learn more and more…" he smiled and touched her cheek softly. "Like I will."

Amelia giggled and spent the next few hours discussing robot anatomy with Ironhide. Ironhide would not return to the base until early morning Optimus waiting in the hanger for him. Transforming once inside he stood and waited for whatever would befall him.

"Ironhide." Optimus said "You've been out of Radio contact for six hours."

"am I not allowed my personal time?" Ironhide asked.

"Where were you?"

"You know I was with the human female." Ironhide protested

"We have been trying to contact you." Optimus said and sighed "Always keep your radio open Ironhide."

"What's happened?" Ironhide walked up to his leader looking up to him.

"Landfall." Optimus said and stepped aside. There were four little bots standing behind him.

"Sparklings." Ironhide blinked quietly.

"yes." Optimus said "Decepticons." The little ones were clinging to one another scared to death. Ironhide sighed "we're not sure what to do with them, they are branded, but too young to know anything of any value."

"Are we to make them Autobots?"

"That decision will be theirs." Optimus said looking down at the four of them.

"Great." Ironhide shook his head and looked down.

"Can you disarm their weapons?" optimus asked kindly.

"Yeah." Ironhide slid down beside the small group "Younglings…I am Ironhide." He said softly calmly. "Come here one at a time and I will help you feel a bit better." Ironhide pulled out a few tools from a side panel at his leg.

After a few hours the four little ones where shuttled from Ironhide to ratchet who removed the decepticon brands from their chests and arms, and they were brought back to the main hanger. At six PM the little ones were sitting on Crates with bumblebee who was showing them a few movies, cartoons and other things to help them get use to the idea that this planet had other life than just cybertronians.

Amelia walked into the hanger and looked around seeing only Bumblebee and Optimus with the four new robots she started to turn. "Lt. Anderson." Optimus' voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Optimus Prime." She turned and saluted to him.

"You are looking for Ironhide." He said softly.

"Yes he was suppose to meet me." She said looking up to him.

"I am sorry I had to detour him for the evening." Optimus said and motioned her closer. "he cares for you."

"I know that." She nodded.

"And you for him?" the question bit her.

"I adore him." She said quietly and walked toward the younglings.

"They are young still, they will need much teaching." Optimus said allowing her closer.

"Four…small." She looked up "do they have transport modes?" she asked.

"not yet." Optimus shook his head slowly and looked down "Would you like to help us find transport modes for them?"

"Of course." She smiled "I would be honored. Amelia crossed the hanger to a computer station and looked back at optimus with a smile "let's see what we can find for them. How many are mechs and how many are femmes?"

"Three mechs and one Femme." Optimus said

"very good, we'll find something nice for the girl…and something good for the boys too." She said and started to scan some websites for different vehicles. "Ok I think…" Amelia looked over at the group "I have four good choices." She showed the screen to optimus. "The first for the femme …the others for the boys." She said.

"Those will be fine." Optimus said.

"I will radio lennox and have him find these vehicles." Amelia said.

"Good. We'll need them." Optimus looked over at bumblebee who shot him a thumbs up. Things seemed to be going well.


End file.
